Sustainability rests on the principle that we must meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Starving people in poor nations, obesity in rich nations, increasing food prices, on-going climate changes, increasing fuel and transportation costs, flaws of the global market, worldwide pesticide pollution, pest adaptation and resistance, loss of soil fertility and organic carbon, soil erosion, decreasing biodiversity, desertification, and so on. Despite unprecedented advances in sciences allowing to visit planets and disclose subatomic particles, serious terrestrial issues about food show clearly that conventional agriculture is not suited any longer to feed humans and to preserve ecosystems. Sustainable agriculture is an alternative for solving fundamental and applied issues related to food production in an ecological way. While conventional agriculture is driven almost solely by productivity and profit, sustainable agriculture integrates biological, chemical, physical, ecological, economic and social sciences in a comprehensive way to develop new farming practices that are safe and do not degrade our environment. In that respect, sustainable agriculture is not a classical and narrow science. Instead of solving problems using the classical painkiller approach that treats only negative impacts, sustainable agriculture treats problem sources. As most actual society issues are now intertwined, global, and fast-developing, sustainable agriculture will bring solutions to build a safer world.

This book gathers review articles that analyze current agricultural issues and knowledge, then propose alternative solutions. It will therefore help all scientists, decision-makers, professors, farmers and politicians who wish to build a safe agriculture, energy and food system for future generations.

This study shows how to navigate the diversity of options presented in current ecological theory by developing the first general model of the entomological research requirements of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The book includes practical advice on understanding and investigating species; examines the ecological problems associated with polyphagous pests and beneficial species; and scrutinizes ways suggested to improve insect biological control. It is an important resource for graduate students and researchers in IPM, insect pest management, entomology, ecology and crop protection.

• Examines how information is best obtained for the applied science of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) • Provides first model relating insect ecology research needs to the structure of IPM systems, allowing more effective research and pest control practice • Provides practical help and case studies as well as principles and theory

Plants utilize light not only for photosynthesis but also as environmental signals. They are capable of perceiving wavelength, intensity, direction, duration, and other attributes of light to perform appropriate physiological and developmental changes. This volume presents overviews of and the latest findings in many of the interconnected aspects of plant photomorphogenesis, including photoreceptors (phytochromes, cryptochromes, and phototropins), signal transduction, photoperiodism, and circadian rhythms, in 42 chapters. Also included, is a prologue by Prof. Masaki Furuya that gives an overview of the historical background. With contributions from preeminent researchers in specific subjects from around the world, this book will be a valuable source for a range of scientists from undergraduate to professional levels.

Intercellular communication in plants plays pivotal roles in coordination and control of development and defence responses and involves the trafficking of RNA and protein macromolecules through cytoplasmic cell wall channels termed plasmodesmata. Viruses pirate this existing macromolecular transport pathway to spread infection and, therefore, represent important tools to investigate the cellular mechanisms that govern intercellular communication. The book provides a state of the art overview of the intricate functional virus:host relationships that allow a virus or viroid to move cell-to-cell and systemically through the plant, as well as from plant to plant, and, thus, to spread infection. The book also illustrates the mechanisms by which viruses overcome plant defence responses, such as RNA silencing. Arabidopsis is introduced as a plant host eminently suitable for genetic approaches to identify novel players in plant:virus interactions.

Sabtu, 29 Mei 2010

The perennial and evergreen nature of the coffee plant (Coffea spp.) favors attack by a number of insects and mites . All portions of the plants are susceptible to attack, and damage may appear at the seed bed, nursery, plantation, or in the warehouse. Certain pests affect the coffee plant only temporarily, while others live for several generations on the plant. In some instances, the attack may cause the death of the plant, but in most cases the pests only weaken the plant, reducing yield. When the bean is attacked, quality also may be affected.

Acacias are of considerable social and industrial importance for tropical reforestation, with about 2 million ha worldwide. The last few decades have seen a major expansion of plantations for industrial use, especially in South-East Asia. Both native and exotic species of Acacia are also widely grown in the Indian sub-continent. Turnbull et al. (1998) reviewed the status of tropical acacia plantations in Asia. The species which have been most widely planted so far in industrial plantations in South-East Asia are Acacia mangium Willd. and A. auriculiformis Cunn. ex Benth. A. crassicarpa Cunn. ex Benth. and A. aulacocarpa Cunn. ex Benth. provenance and species trials have been established in many locations throughout the region to provide options for future hardwood plantations. Commercial plantings of A. crassicarpa have recently been established in Indonesia.

Our knowledge of pollen, the gold dust that carries the male germ line of flowering plants and is vital for sexual reproduction and seed formation, has "come of age" with the publication of this book. Here, for the first time in a single volume, are all the ideas and techniques developed in the past two decades concerning the manipulation of pollen and pollen tubes in plant breeding and biotechnology. Pollen has never been an easy topic to come to grips with, with its variable and often inexplicable terminology that has made it a more difficult field in which to work. This book will remedy that, with its overview of pollen biology and pollen-pistil interactions that explains terms and concepts of the male function of pollen in a way that is readily understandable to the student and professional plant scientist and plant breeder.

Industrial and agricultural activity throughout this century has led to considerable contamination of soil and groundwater resources by hazardous chemicals. The technique of bioremediation uses living organisms usually bacteria and fungi--to remove pollutants from soil and water with minimal disturbance to these environments. This approach, which is potentially more cost-effective than traditional techniques such as incineration of soils and carbon filtration of water, requires an understanding of how organisms transform chemicals, how they survive in polluted environments, and how they can be used in the field. This book examines these issues for many of the most serious and common environmental contaminants, presenting the most recent position on the application of bio-remediation to polluted soil and water.

While tomatoes continue to be one of the most widely grown plants, the production and distribution of tomato fruits have been changing worldwide. Smaller, flavorful tomatoes are becoming more popular than beefsteak tomatoes, greenhouse-grown tomatoes have entered the marketplace, and home gardeners are using the Internet to obtain information for growing tomatoes. Encompassing these changes, Tomato Plant Culture: In the Field, Greenhouse, and Home Garden, Second Edition clearly presents the characteristics, nutritional information, environmental requirements, and production aspects of tomato plants and fruits. Authored by one of the foremost experts in hydroponics, the book outlines the history of the tomato plant and fruit and delves into the author's personal experiences with tomato plant cultivation. It discusses the characteristics and composition of the plant as well as seedling and seed production. The author elucidates the physical features of the fruit and the mineral nutrition of the plant. He also examines the physical and chemical characteristics of soils most desirable for plant growth, makes fertilizer recommendations, and explores the factors involved in greenhouse tomato production. In addition, the book looks at ways to identify and control plant diseases and insect pests. With scientific data, trivia, and troubleshooting advice, this technical yet accessible book enables scientists, commercial growers, and home gardeners to cultivate a successful crop of tomatoes.

The contributors present a diverse collection of chapters on basic research at the molecular level using Lepidoptera as model systems. This volume, however, is more than just a compendium of information about insect systems in general, or the Lepidoptera in particular. Each chapter is a self-contained treatment of a broad subject area, pring sufficient background information to give readers a sense of the guiding principles and central questions associated with each topic, in addition to major methodologies and findings. Comparisons with other major model systems are emphasized, with special attention given to the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster. Topics include: an historical overview of research using Lepidopteran models, silkworm genetics, mobile elements of Lepidopteran genomes, experimental embryogenesis and homeotic genes, hormone action in the central nervous system, the molecular genetics of moth olfaction, and use of engineered baculoviruses for basic biological studies and insect pest control.

Selasa, 25 Mei 2010

This field guide is designed to let you grow peanut as easy as possible.
It provides you the suggested appropriate management practices on how to grow peanut. In the pest pages, each pest has a brief description of its lifecycle, damage it causes, and its control measures. It is very important to know how the insect/mite pest develops because the adult does not always cause the damage and sometimes it is not even found where the damage occurred. Included in the control measures are cultural practices, physical control, plant extracts, other homemade solutions, and other practical methods. Also, as not to confuse you with the beneficial insects, a separate page with photos of them and their conservation and management are included.

Ants, with an estimated world population of 1015 adults (188), are most abundant in the tropics where in rain forests they may represent between one third and half of the insect biomass (32). About two hundred species of ants have been recorded in one locality in Papua New Guinea (187), and they also retain rich diversity in some tropical crops (76, 134). In general, ants are less commonw, ith fewer species, outside the tropics (120, 187), but they mays till be ecologically important, as in a European grassland where about 140 workers per m2 consumed approximately 200 times their biomass annually (71). Theya re usually least commoann d diverse in disturbed arable habitats (120).

Development of transgenic crop plants, their utilization for improved agriculture, health, ecology and environment and their socio-political impacts are currently important fields in education, research and industries and also of interest to policy makers, social activists and regulatory and funding agencies. This work prepared with a class-room approach on this multidisciplinary subject will fill an existing gap and meet the requirements of such a broad section of readers.

Volume 2 with 13 chapters contributed by 41 eminent scientists from nine countries deliberates on the utilization of transgenic crops for resistance to herbicides, biotic stress and abiotic stress, manipulation of developmental traits, production of biofuel, biopharmaceuticals and algal bioproducts, amelioration of ecology and environment and fostering functional genomics as well as on regulations and steps for commercialization, patent and IPR issues, and compliance to concerns and compulsions of utilizing transgenic plants.

Fungi have come into demand as sources of biological control agents and of particular physiological active substances. Recent studies indicate that fungi can be the prime cause of sinusitis, asthma, and allergenic troubles. Some fungi can be useful however, and can be used to improve the overall quality of human life. With very few books available on the subject of soil and seed fungi, Tsuneo Watanabe's book remains the only work that details information on techniques for isolating, culturing, and identifying soil and seed fungi.

Senin, 17 Mei 2010

This book provides a concise and comprehensive discussion of all major developmental, genetic and horticultural aspects of citriculture in an easily readable text. It covers the history, distribution and climatic adaptation of the crop, followed by taxonomy and systematic, including a horticultural classification of edible citrus species. Subsequent chapters cover tree structure and function, reproductive physiology, including flowering, fruiting, productivity, ripening, post harvest and fruit constituents. This valuable reference for professionals and advanced students also covers the main aspects of cultivated citrus, such as roots tocks, irrigation, pests, viruses and diseases, as well as genetic improvement, including the use of tissue culture and plant biotechnology. Contains many original illustrations specially produced for the book.

This book provides an overview of the science and technology of chocolate manufacture from cocoa production, through the manufacturing processes, to the sensory, nutrition and health aspects of chocolate consumption. It covers cocoa cultivation and production with special attention paid to cocoa bean composition, genotypic variations in the bean, post-harvest pre-treatments, fermentation and drying processes, and the biochemical basis of these operations. The scientific principles behind industrial chocolate manufacture are outlined with detailed explanations of the various stages of chocolate manufacturing including mixing, refining, conching and tempering. Other topics covered include the chemistry of flavour formation and development during cocoa processing and chocolate manufacture; volatile flavour compounds and their characteristics and identification; sensory descriptions and character; and flavour release and perception in chocolate. The nutritional and health benefits of cocoa and chocolate consumption are also addressed.

There is a focus throughout on those factors that influence the flavour and quality characteristics of the finished chocolate and that provide scope for process optimization and improvement. The book is designed to be a desk reference for all those engaged in the business of making and using chocolate worldwide; confectionery and chocolate scientists in industry and academia; students and practising food scientists and technologists; nutritionists and other health professionals; and libraries of institutions where food science is studied and researched.

* an overview of the science behind chocolate manufacture
* covers the whole process from cocoa production, through manufacturing, to the nutrition and health aspects of chocolate consumption
* focuses on factors that influence chocolate flavor and quality, and that provide scope for process optimization and improvement.

Dwindling petroleum supplies and growing environmental concerns are significantly impacting the cost of petro-fuel and its infrastructure. The search for alternative fuel sources has led to ethanol, a gasoline substitute that is already in the marketplace as Gasohol and E-85. But large-scale production of corn-based ethanol is controversial as it threatens the world’s food supply. There are alternatives, however: Brazil uses sugar cane, which is up to six times more productive in energy conversion.

After the energy crisis of the 1970s, there was a lot of misinformation about the cost of individual ethanol production. In order to achieve energy independence from gasoline, ethanol lends itself to small-scale production, and especially to cooperative ventures in rural communities, often using “waste” feedstock.

Alcohol Fuel is a practical, grassroots book that will give readers all the information they need, covering every aspect of making and using ethanol for fuel, including:

•Permitting and planning
•Budgeting and setup
•Sourcing feedstocks
•Finding and building distillation equipment
•Storage and safety
•Practical applications for converting motor vehicles, farm equipment, and space-heating systems
The practical, user-friendly information on basic equipment needs, fermentation recipes, and distillation designs will be of interest to readers looking for information, as well as to those ready to make the switch.

An exhaustive review on all things algae would require a multi-volume encyclopedic work. Even then, such a tome would prove to be of limited value, as in addition to being quite complex, it would soon be outdated, as the field of phycology is full of continual revelations and new discoveries.

Algae: Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Biotechnology offers students and researchers in phycology a more practical and useful approach. Instead of trying to offer a little bit of everything, the authors concentrate on highlighting especially interesting and illuminating topics, with the idea of inciting the sort of wonder and curiosity in undergraduate and post-graduate students that will encourage further outstanding work.

The chapters can be read in progression to provide structure to a semester, or each can be read on its own as a self-contained essay to supplement other work.

An understanding of the mineral nutrition of plants is of fundamental importance in both basic and applied plant sciences. The Second Edition of this book retains the aim of the first in presenting the principles of mineral nutrition in the light of current advances.

This volume retains the structure of the first edition, being divided into two parts: Nutritional Physiology and Soil-Plant Relationships. In Part I, more emphasis has been placed on root-shoot interactions, stress physiology, water relations, and functions of micronutrients. In view of the worldwide increasing interest in plant-soil interactions, Part II has been considerably altered and extended, particularly on the effects of external and interal factors on root growth and chapter 15 on the root-soil interface.

The second edition will be invaluable to both advanced students and researchers.

The booklet, Sustaining Our Soils and Society, and the colorful poster, Soils Sustain Life, offer new tools for raising awareness and understanding of our soil resources. The 64-page full-color booklet contains a copy of the poster which includes a student activity on the back. The soils booklet and poster can help you illustrate the importance of our soil resources; provide a geoscience perspective on soils and the environment; improve Earth science literacy; increase student understandings of Earth materials and systems; and achieve content objectives of the National Science Education Standards.

Providing the world's growing population with its increasing demands for energy is a major challenge for science, business and society alike. Energy can be generated from many sources, but not all sources are suitable for every application. Much of today's technology has been built on solid, liquid and gaseous fuels derived from fossil sources. However, the supply of these is finite and their combustion produces carbon dioxide, one of the gases responsible for global warming. Therefore, alternative sources of energy are required which are renewable, sustainable and carbon neutral.This textbook explores the production of biofuels as alternatives to fossil fuels, focusing on the technological issues that need to be addressed for any new fuel source. Each type of biofuel currently in production is considered in detail, covering the benefits and problems with production and use and the potential for biological material to provide sufficient energy for the world's population - the principles on which future fuel development are based.

Sabtu, 08 Mei 2010

Soil scientists and consultants, those involved with soil health monitoring and maintenance and soil remediation. Also of interest to agronomists, ecologists and environmentalists. Maintaining soil health is fundamental to successful crop production and ecosystem sustainability. To enable effective management soil health must first be measured and then monitored and so the authors review and evaluate how soil organisms can be used to fulfill this role.

Investigation of insect pathogens is vital to the understanding of biocontrol and insect management within an ecosystem. Faster and more accurate methods of indentification and diagnosis have become possible with the implementation of molecular techniques. Advances in genomics and genetic engineering make this manual the most up to date handbook on insect pathogens, with the latest information on methods used to unravel the genomes of pathogens. The volume is divided into four sections: Indentification and Diagnostics, Evolutionary Relationships and Population Genetics, Genomics and Genetic Engineering. It is essential reading for those studying and researching at the forefront of molecular science and biological pest management.

The Advanced Text series is designed for students taking advanced-level courses, including final year undergraduates and taught MSc. Titles in this series will also be invaluable to researchers new to the field, and to established researchers as a basic reference text. Studies of the interactions between plants and their viral, bacterial and fungal pathogens are of major importance in plant and crop production. More than 10% of potential agricultural yield is lost to these organisms annually worldwide, and major epidemics can cause significant local economic and environmental damage. Molecular Plant Pathology addresses the underlying molecular principles of plant/pathogen interactions, in a readily-accessible textbook format.

Weeds are a major constraint to agricultural production, particularly in the developing world. Cost-efficient biological control is a self-sustaining way to reduce this problem, and produces fewer non-target effects than chemical methods, which can cause serious damage to the environment. This book covers the origin, distribution, and ecology of twenty model invasive weed species, which occur in habitats from tropical to temperate to aquatic. Sustainable biological control of each weed using one or more arthropods is discussed. The aim is to provide ecological management models for use across the tropical world, and to assist in the assessment of potential risks to native and economic plants. This is a valuable resource for scientists and policy makers concerned with the biological control of invasive tropical plants.

Molecular Mechanisms of Photosynthesis stands as an ideal introduction to this subject. Robert Blankenship, a leading authority in photosynthesis research, offers a modern approach to photosynthesis in this accessible and well-illustrated text. The book provides a concise overview of the basic principles of energy storage and the history of the field, then progresses into more advanced topics such as electron transfer pathways, kinetics, genetic manipulations, and evolution. Throughout, Blankenship includes an interdisciplinary emphasis that makes this book appealing across fields.

The potato—humble, lumpy, bland, familiar—is a decidedly unglamorous staple of the dinner table. Or is it? John Reader’s narrative on the role of the potato in world history suggests we may be underestimating this remarkable tuber. From domestication in Peru 8,000 years ago to its status today as the world’s fourth largest food crop, the potato has played a starring—or at least supporting—role in many chapters of human history. In this witty and engaging book, Reader opens our eyes to the power of the potato.

Whether embraced as the solution to hunger or wielded as a weapon of exploitation, blamed for famine and death or recognized for spurring progress, the potato has often changed the course of human events. Reader focuses on sixteenth-century South America, where the indigenous potato enabled Spanish conquerors to feed thousands of conscripted native people; eighteenth-century Europe, where the nutrition-packed potato brought about a population explosion; and today’s global world, where the potato is an essential food source but also the world’s most chemically-dependent crop. Where potatoes have been adopted as a staple food, social change has always followed. It may be “just” a humble vegetable, John Reader shows, yet the history of the potato has been anything but dull.

Description: An increased understanding of the developmental physiology, biochemistry, and molecular biology during early growth, maturation, ripening, and postharvest conditions has improved technologies to maintain the shelf life and quality of fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Postharvest Biology and Technology of Fruits, Vegetables, and Flowers provides a comprehensive introduction to this subject, offering a firm grounding in the basic science and branching out into the technology and practical applications. An authoritative resource on the science and technology of the postharvest sector, this book surveys the body of knowledge with an emphasis on the recent advances in the field.

Description: This timely Second Edition of an established resource covers the huge expansion of information that has taken place since the publication of the first edition;providing up-to-the-minute discussions on the application of mass spectrometry to the biological sciences. Shows how and why experiments are performed and furnishes details to facilitate the duplication of results! Completely rewritten and enlarged by internationally recognized scientists from industry and academia, Mass Spectrometry of Biological Materials, Second Edition reviews the ionization methods and instrumentation used in the analysis of biological materials introduces new instrumental technology that can solve fundamental problems in biology demonstrates techniques for isolating and identifying target molecules in complex mixtures that are often present in only trace amounts describes methods for characterizing proteins at very low levels of sample material analyzes noncovalent interactions and the use of hydrogen/deuterium exchange for tertiary structure determination explains the characterization of oligonucleotides and DNA supplies in-depth coverage of screening protein databases using data generated by mass spectrometry and more! Containing over 800 bibliographic citations and illustrations, Mass Spectrometry of Biological Materials, Second Edition is a useful guide for mass spectrometrists; analytical, medicinal, and protein chemists and biochemists; biotechnologists; enzymologists; molecular biologists; agricultural scientists; and graduate-level and continuing-education students in these disciplines.

The latest edition of a highly successful textbook, Mass Spectrometry, Third Edition provides students with a complete overview of the principles, theories and key applications of modern mass spectrometry. All instrumental aspects of mass spectrometry are clearly and concisely described: sources, analysers and detectors. Tandem mass spectrometry is introduced early on and then developed in more detail in a later chapter. Emphasis is placed throughout the text on optimal utilisation conditions. Various fragmentation patterns are described together with analytical information that derives from the mass spectra.

Here, an extremely experienced team of authors from five different continents provides a timely review of progress in the use and exploitation of soil bacteria to improve crop and plant growth. They present novel ideas on how to grow better, more successful crops, in an environmentally sound way, making this invaluable reading for those working in the pharmaceutical, biotechnological and agricultural industries.

Mycotoxins are toxins produced by aerobic, microscopic fungus under special conditions of moisture and temperature. They colonize in a variety of foods from harvest to the grocer. Mycotoxins have gained world wide interest in recent years with the revelation of the effect of these toxins on health. A current example is the presence of ochratoxin A, a human carcinogen and nephrotoxin, in wines. The increased concern about fruit safety has led to increased studies throughout the world and enhanced awareness for stringent regulations governing mycotoxin limits in food.
Presented in three defined sections, this is the first book to provide comprehensive analysis of the main mycotoxins contaminating fruits and vegetables and their derived products. The first section provides a safety evaluation of mycotoxins in fruits and vegetables, details regarding factors affecting mycotoxin production and diffusion in the fruit tissue, and recent methods for detection of mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins produced by the fungi. The second part takes a critical look at the main individual mycotoxins and the third section focuses on approaches for prevention and control.

Soil science benefits from the availability of a wide array of practicable methods. There are a number of very useful compendia in which sets of these methods are collected together to provide easy reference for the intending practitioner. The need for yet another handbook might therefore be questioned. This book, however, fulfils several needs that are not met in previous volumes.

This text focuses on the biological interactions of sulphur compounds which arise specifically from the presence of the sulphur atom within the molecule. The book opens with introductory chapters on the chemistry and biology of sulphur, before tackling the field by introducing compounds which share a common chemical combination. In general, following a description of the uses and impact upon the biological field, specific chemical group characteristics are discussed together with the biological activity and structure-activity relationships where known. The toxicity of such compounds, their consequences in biochemical and clinical terms, and their mechanisms of biological interaction are then addressed